A place for educators to find thought-provoking news, conversation and support for those who care about diversity, equal opportunity and respect for differences in schools
Finding the Courage to Act
We each have a part to play, a role uniquely ours each day. I’d raised my hand often enough and spoke about equity and LGBT rights during my years in Minnesota’s Anoka-Hennepin School District to convince myself I was accomplishing the role I’d chosen when I decided to teach.
Piecing Together the Puzzle of Bullying
Karl paused at the classroom doorway, his thin face pinched with apprehension as he stared down the hallway.
“Is everything all right?” I asked.
Startled, he looked at me almost guiltily. “Uh—I’m fine. Everything’s fine.” Karl risked being late by the time he darted out.
Accounting For Missing Men in Early Childhood
This just in: Men make up a small fraction of early childhood and elementary school teachers. And for children younger than 6, having a male teacher is a rarity. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, just 2.3 percent of preschool and kindergarten teachers are men.
Pay-to-Play Nearly Sidelined Student’s Future
“Jamilla may have to quit,” my friend Bob said. “She’s not the only one. This new ‘pay-to-play’ policy could wipe out two-thirds of my team.”
Bob was the girls’ soccer coach at our urban high school. For several years he had been growing his program. Finally, his girls were becoming competitive in their league.
Sharing Overcomes Stigma of Asperger’s
Sarah had a strange way about her. She would focus so completely on whatever she was reading that she seemed oblivious to the world around her. However, when the volume in the room reached a certain level, she would burst out with a screaming plea at her classmates to be quiet. “I can’t take anymore of this noise,” she’d yell. At other times, she made loud exclamations to no one in particular. “My mom makes great cinnamon rolls,” she announced one day while unpacking her materials.
Artfully Creating the Right Group Dynamic
Most art projects are personal expressions by individual artists. But as an art teacher, it’s hard to beat a well-structured group project for helping students overcome differences and discover the power of creative teamwork.
How To End Food Fights? Ask the Students
It happened again today. I was standing in the cafeteria when I heard the dreaded sound of yelling, chairs scraping the floor and students scurrying for cover coming from the other side of the room. Food fight. Ugh.
I rushed over to find french fries, ketchup and peaches everywhere and students complaining about another destroyed lunch.
Put the Brakes on the Summer Slide
The school year is wrapping up, and most students won’t see the inside of a classroom for months. To kids, this means vacation, but to teachers it means lots of catch-up in the fall. According to a study by the John Hopkins’ Center for Summer Learning, without summer educational programs, the average student falls two months behind in his reading skills.
Our new guide, 
